Shaheryar Khan contributed to this reporting.
New Braunfels was founded in 1845, and by 1850 it was the fourth largest city in Texas, according to the Texas State Historical Association. While the city has lost that claim to fame, government and community groups are spearheading preservation efforts to maintain the city’s charm.
In the last 10 years, more than 7,000 permits, from roof repairs to remodels, have been filed with the city to complete work on historic facilities in the city’s downtown as new businesses open in the old facilities, according to city data.
While several new businesses have opened recently in the downtown historic district, other buildings sit empty or under construction as business owners say they are navigating the unique challenges of finding a home in these spaces, including extra permitting steps and additional renovation costs.
Why it matters
Keva Hoffmann Boardman, a fifth-generation New Braunfels resident and programs coordinator for the Sophienburg Museum and Archives, can share the history of each building along the city’s streets.
Cowboys & Cadillacs, a rooftop bar, opened in February at 125 N. Castell Ave. The building below it once housed a pharmacy and various shops, Hoffmann Boardman said.
The Phoenix Saloon, at 193 W. San Antonio St., opened in 2010 in a building built in 1871 and was first used as a saloon under the same name. It was allegedly the first bar in Texas to allow women to drink, the site of chili powder’s creation, and home to an alligator pit and badger fights. It closed during Prohibition and was used for other businesses before reopening as a bar.•In the 1800s, the Zum Schwarzen Walfisch opened in a wood building. The saloon moved and was replaced by the local newspaper. In 2007, new owners opened the Black Whale Saloon—the English translation of the original name—on the same site, although the building had changed, according to the new establishment.
Many downtown historic district landmarks remain in active use as businesses. However, not every building has been saved.
“We’ve demolished a lot, especially on this courthouse corner. We killed it,” Hoffmann Boardman said.
For many locals, preserving historic downtown structures depends on making business viable in the space.
“There has to be a balance because you have to do stuff that is cost-effective, or it is not going to happen. That’s when people just allow buildings to deteriorate,” said Lark Mason III, a member of Preserving New Braunfels.
The challenges
The city has four historic districts, where all buildings within are subject to extra regulations, New Braunfels Historic Preservation Officer Katy Totman said. Other buildings can be designated as historic by the city, state or nationally, and each designation comes with different requirements. Some buildings might have no designation, despite being as old or well-preserved as those that do.
TJ Grossi, executive director at Schumann Consulting, said the key to navigating the challenges is having a lot of experience with the different processes.
Schumann Consulting is currently working on the Faust Hotel remodel and has shepherded several projects throughout the city through the process.
